Saxifraga plant named ‘SAXZ0008’

ABSTRACT

A new  Saxifraga  plant named ‘SAXZ0008’ particularly distinguished by the blushed red-purple flower color with a darker eye, short peduncles on a vigorous plant habit, and is very early to mature and flower.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Saxifraga×arendsii.

Varietal denomination: ‘SAXZ0008’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Saxifraga, botanically known as Saxifraga×arendsii, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘SAXZ0008’.

‘SAXZ0008’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘SAXZ0008’ has large blushed red-purple flower color with a darker eye, short peduncles on a vigorous plant habit and is very early to mature and flower.

‘SAXZ0008’ originates from a hybridization made in a greenhouse in April 2007 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘J1627-51’ with smaller, darker pink color and is later to flower when compared to ‘SAXZ0008’.

The male parent of ‘SAXZ0008’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘K0630-1’ with bigger flowers and white color and is earlier to mature and flower when compared to ‘SAXZ0008’. The resultant seed was sown in August 2007 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

‘SAXZ0008’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in March 2008 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘SAXZ0008’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in March 2008 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in March 2008 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘SAXZ0008’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘SAXZ0008’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada on Jun. 7, 2012. ‘SAXZ0008’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Saxifraga as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘SAXZ0008’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 a flowering plant of the new variety and in

FIG. 2 a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Gilroy, Calif. under natural light in March 2012. These plants were approximately 24 weeks old and were growing in 1 gallon pots in shade-house trials. The plants used for the photographs were about 28 weeks old growing in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and the photographs were taken in March 2012.

Color Chart used: Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘SAXZ0008’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY ‘Rockrose’ ‘SAXZ0008’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,301) Flower size: Larger Smaller Plant vigor: More Less Peduncle length: Shorter Longer

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—A rosetting habit that is very             compact and mounded. Each rosette develops several short             branched peduncles that are freely flowering.         -   Plant height.—7.0-8.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—22.0-25.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—15.0-16.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 7 days at about 18             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—3 weeks at 18             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Lower surface.—RHS 138B.         -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Lower surface.—RHS 138B.         -   Length.—0.9-1.4 cm.         -   Width.—0.9-1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Spathulate; cleft-lobed.         -   Base shape.—Cuneate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glandular hair.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—Indistinct.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—Indistinct.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 137D.         -   Length.—0.5-0.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Glandular hairs on both sides. -   Lateral branching:     -   -   Color.—RHS 138A.         -   Length of branch.—0.2-0.5 cm.         -   Diameter of branch.—0.1-0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Glandular hairs.         -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138A.         -   Length of peduncle.—6.0-9.0 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Texture.—Heavily covered with glandular hairs.         -   Pedicel color.—RHS 138A.         -   Pedicel length.—2.0-3.0 cm.         -   Pedicel diameter.—0.075 cm.         -   Pedicel texture.—Heavily covered with glandular hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Simple cyme or raceme; single flower composed of 5             imbricate petals; flowers held above the plant and very             flat.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—125-150 with numerous             buds.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 11             days.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Bud (just before opening/showing color):     -   -   Color.—Between RHS 61B and RHS 61C.         -   Length.—0.6-0.8 cm.         -   Width.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Conical. -   Corolla:     -   -   Immature inflorescence.—Diameter: 1.6-1.8 cm. Color of             petals, upper surface: RHS N155B but whiter ground color,             heavily overlaid with shades of closest to RHS 71B with a             heavily marked basal blotch and mid-veins of RHS 71A. Lower             surface: RHS N155B ground color overlaid with about RHS 71B.         -   Mature inflorescence.—Flower diameter: 2.3-2.4 cm. Depth:             0.7-0.8 cm. Petal color, upper surface: RHS N155B but whiter             ground color overlaid with shades of RHS 71B that quickly             fade to closer shades of RHS 64B to RHS 64C with a heavy             basal blotch of RHS 64A to RHS 64B and slight veining of RHS             64B. Lower surface: RHS N155B ground color overlaid with             shades of RHS 71D that quickly fade to closer shades of RHS             64C to RHS 64D and slight darker veining and margins. Length             of petal: 1.0 cm. Width of petal: 1.1 cm. Shape: Orbicular.             Apex shape: Broadly rounded to some broadly mucronulate.             Margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper surface: Papillose.             Lower surface: Papillose. -   Calyx:     -   -   Quantity.—5.         -   Color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Lower surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Length.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper/inner surface.—Smooth.         -   Lower/outer surface.—Glandular hairs. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—         -   Pistil quantity.—1.         -   Length.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS N144B.         -   Style length.—0.25 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 154C.         -   Stigma shape.—Bi-parted.         -   Ovary color.—RHS144B.         -   Ovary height.—0.4 cm.         -   Ovary width.—0.3 cm.         -   Androecium.—         -   Stamens, quantity.—10.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 157D.         -   Length filaments.—0.3 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 22C, mottled with anthocyanins of about             RHS N34C.         -   Anther length.—0.05 cm.         -   Anther shape.—Oval.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 2A.         -   Pollen amount.—Normal.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Saxifraga plant named ‘SAXZ0008’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 